5 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious mental illness and the leading cause of disability worldwide. New pharmacotherapeutic agents with complementary neurobiological mechanism and better side effect profile are of great needs. In addition to the monoamine system, the glutamatergic system plays a crucial role in MDD. L-theanine (N5-ethyl-L-glutamine) is the primary psychoactive component uniquely in green tea. Preclinical studies have demonstrated anti-depressant effect of L-theanine in rodents and provided evidences for its pharmacological properties of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonism. Yet these effects have not been proven in humans. Only one open-label clinical trial has studied and supported antidepressant effects of L-theanine in MDD patients. We propose using pair-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (ppTMS) to probe how L-theanine may manipulate the glutamatergic and GABA systems in the frontal region by changing cortical excitability first in healthy subjects. We plan to investigate the neurobiological effects of L-theanine in healthy subjects first. Granted that the first phase pilot trial provides neurophysiological evidence of L-theanine on motor cortex excitability in human subjects, next phases of studies on L-theanine in MDD patients cortical excitability could be justified.
L-theanine and caffeine are two natural constituents of tea. Both of these compounds are among the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's list of Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) substances. Results of several clinical trials the PI and his team has conducted are consistent with results of many others to indicate that oral intake of each of 2.5 mg/kg body weight of L-theanine and 2.0 mg/kg body weight of caffeine is associated with improved attention in adults. Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that, when taken in combination, L-theanine and caffeine seem to have additive effects in improving attention in adults. However, the specific actions of these substances have not been examined in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who are characterized by impaired attention, hyperkinesia and impulsivity. Therefore, the investigators plan to study the functional activity of brains (both at rest and when performing standard tasks designed to measure attention) in children diagnosed with ADHD using functional magnetic resonance imaging, after they consume either 2.5 mg/kg of L-theanine, 2.0 mg/kg of caffeine and their combination as compared to a placebo (water). Based on our previous findings, the investigators expect to observe improvements (speed of responding and accuracy) in standard tests of attention with intake of L-theanine, caffeine and their combination as compared to the placebo. The investigators also expect to observe decreased functional activity in brain regions that typically show increased activity during mind wandering with intake of L-theanine, caffeine and their combination.
The amino acid l-theanine (the active ingredient in green tea) is considered to have a calming effect without causing sleepiness. This study evaluates whether l-theanine affects blood pressure, heart rate, alertness, and sense of well-being.
L-theanine and caffeine are nutritional compounds that are naturally found in tea. Our recent findings using an EEG paradigm are consistent with the findings of others, indicating that intake of L-theanine and caffeine reduce the time needed for a person to differentiate between two visual stimuli and react to only one stimulus. In order to understand how these compounds give rise to these improvements, the investigators need to study how these compounds are related to various areas of the brain. To achieve this, the investigators plan to scan the brains of nine participants after they take either 1) L-theanine alone, 2) caffeine alone 3) the combination of both L-theanine and caffeine as compared with a placebo (distilled water), to see which has the greatest impact on attention and on regions in the brain that bring about attention.
The growing consumer-grade molecular and digital wellness market is generating unprecedented volumes of information to support decision-making around individual health. Current trends suggest the demand for personalized health information, tools, and services will continue to rise in the next decade. What is missing is a reliable, individualized way to turn this data into action. Dialogue around consumer health often ignores the disconnect between measurements and goals. For example, monitoring one's weight is not the same as losing weight, and counting steps is not the same as lowering blood pressure. If individuals are to benefit from data, they must be able to relate changes in their personal data to targeted changes in actions and outcomes. There is a great need and opportunity to adapt the tools and capabilities of modern computer science, statistics, and clinical trial design to the needs of individual patients and consumers. The team at the Institute for Next Generation Healthcare (INGH) has created a smartphone-based app ("N1 app") and study platform that together allow individuals to design, implement, and analyze methodologically sound, statistically robust studies of their personal health data. The focus of the platform will be the creation of single-participant randomized crossover studies, known as n-of-1 trials. The platform employs informatics-based intelligence that automates study design and analysis while simultaneously maintaining high standards of statistical rigor and reproducibility. These novel methods and tools are designed to empower individuals to make rational, data-driven choices about their own health, maximizing the benefit all will receive from new and existing sources of personal health data.